Receivers boost Tech's arsenal

Almost two weeks into training camp, the focus surrounding the Texas Tech football team has centered on who will be the starting quarterback.

Sophomore Michael Brewer's back injury has clouded the picture, leading to more uncertainty about who'll start the Aug. 30 season opener at SMU.

In all this drama, people begin to focus on who is throwing the football instead of who will be catching it, though the second half of the equation seems much more settled.

Senior wide receiver Eric Ward is on the Biletnikoff Award watch list, back for his senior year after back-to-back 80-catch seasons.

Lining up on the outside opposite Ward is junior Bradley Marquez, back from his summer with the Kingsport Mets, a minor league affiliate of the New York Mets.

"We're outside receivers all together and we help each other out," Marquez said. "(We're) definitely looking up to Eric Ward, you know. He's the man and he's definitely the guy that we all look up to and can provide us with some good insight and experience."

For many, the lasting image of Grant from the 2012 season had to do with his kickoff-return touchdowns in each of the final two games. But now he wants to improve on his total of 33 pass receptions.

"I'm ready to add to my receiving capability," he said. "Show them that I'm not only a kickoff return specialist; I can catch the ball, make moves and score touchdowns. I can turn a 5-yard route into a 60-yard gain. I'm a quick-twitch guy. Stuff that I can show the world that Jakeem Grant is not just a specialist."

Ward, Marquez, Amaro and Grant - that makes four threats the defense has to watch for, and then there is the running game.

"I feel like across the board we're probably one of the top skill positions from quarterback to running back," Amaro said. "Our running backs are deep. You've got Kenny (Williams), DeAndre (Washington), and I just personally don't think they're going to be able to guard every single one of us. If they do choose to guard me, it's just going to open up Eric, Jakeem or Bradley, and I just feel like they're not going to be able to do that."

In other words, opposing teams will have to pick their poison when it comes to defending the Red Raiders.

While the starting four are experienced and have had success, bringing along the less-proven depth has been one of the focuses of August workouts. Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said this summer he feels good about Jordan Davis and Sadale Foster behind Amaro and Grant, respectively, and Reginald Davis backing up Marquez.

Kingsbury and wide receivers coach Sonny Cumbie have been hoping to see sophomore Derreck Edwards or redshirt freshman Dominique Wheeler provide a suitable substitute for Ward at split end.

They've indicated that someone from the February signing class also could factor in. Practices have been closed since day two, and neither Tech players nor coaches have been available to the media since last Friday.

However, Cumbie said last week that one of the true freshmen, D.J. Polite-Bray, was off to a good start.

Grant said he's confident some of the young pass catchers will emerge.

"I feel like we have a few freshmen like D.J. Polite-Bray," Grant said. "To me, he came in this summer and worked hard. I feel like he could play. He's a great receiver. He's a quick-twitch guy but he's a taller guy.

"We have (Reginald) Davis and (Dominique) Wheeler. Those guys are also very good guys. Reggie has good hands and is a good jumper. He can make you miss. He can beat you deep on a go ball, and Wheeler is the same exact as Reginald Davis."

True freshmen Gary Moore and Dylan Cantrell built expectations before camp started, the 6-foot-5 Moore with his on-campus summer workouts and Cantrell with a big performance in the Texas High School Coaches Association all-star game.

Whether it's this season or in years to come, Moore's height offers a different dimension.

"He'll be a great guy," Grant said. "He can run routes. He'll be a good jump-ball guy. We have a great depth of guys that's going to be making an impact on this offense and going to be a real threat to our opponent's defense."

With all the options for four receiving slots, the competition is high in preseason, for the projected starters to stay sharp and for new names fighting to get into the rotation.

"It's a healthy, good battle amongst all of us," Marquez said. "The biggest thing is we want to see each other be successful. We want to help each other out. Sometimes other guys may do things a little bit better than others and they can help you out with how they do things and help you better your craft. We have a great relationship in our position group as a whole and so we just have pretty much a family in here."

krista.pirtle@lubbockonline.com

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